Sliced bread package



O. F. ROHWEDDER SLICED BREAD PACKAGE July 28, 1931.A

Filed Nov.' 14. 1928 IIJ Patented July i 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OTTO ROHWEDDER, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO MAC-ROE SALES & MFG.

' COMPANY, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF' DELAWARE SLICED BREAD PACKAGE My improvement relates to means for retaining the slices of a sliced loaf of bread in the same relative position occupied by them before they were sliced.

The objects of my invention are to provide mea-ns which may be applied to a sliced loaf of bread immediatelyafter slicing and before the loaf is Wrapped, which will l. Retain the slices in their original iposition during the Wrapping process;

, 2. Prevent the.slices from becoming displzced during handling of the wrapped loaf, an

3. Operate to hold the remaining slices 1n 15 theiroriginal position' after a part of the loaf has been removed.

I attain these 'objects by the means illus'- trated in the accompanying drawings, in which,- y Figure l is a perspective view of my device showing a phantom loaf of sliced bread contained therein and Figure 2 is a view of my 'device showing one-half of a sliced .loaf of bread retained therein. My device comprises two flat strips, 2 and 3, of pasteboard or other suitable material bent to form a rectangle`with theends of the strips overlapping, and of a' size when extended, to

embrace an entire loaf of sliced bread. A

string, 4, is secured to .the middle portion of one of the strips, 3, preferably by passing the ends of. it through pairs of slits, 6 and 8, cut in the pasteboard strip. The ends of the string form a slip-knot, 5. Slit-s, 7 are out in the lower edge of the strip, 3, and as the string is tightened around the bread by drawing upthe slip-knot, the free end of the string may be passed through the slit, 7, which wil act asa detent'to hold the string and secure .the retaining strips in .their tightened or adjusted position upon the bread.

When a part of the bread has been removed, the string, 4, can be further tightened in the slip-knot, drawing the strips, 2 and 3, tow'ard each other so as to keep themin close contact with the remaining portion of the bread, and if desired, the ends of the strips can be torn o so as to shorten the rectangle suciently to embrace a small num- 50 ber of slices.

--plied thereto, it is obvious that it may be ap- While I have shown'slitsintliefstrip, 3, as a means for retaining the string, I do not confine .myself to that method of fastening the string, but any suitable means may be used or the string may simply betightened suiliciently to secure it in place Without any special retaining means.

In the operation of my device, a loaf of vbread is sliced by one of the slicing machines now coming into use. The strips, 2 and 3, are then applied to it withthe ends slightly overlapping, the string 1s tightened up through the slip-'knot until the strips, 2 and 3, embrace the loaf of bread tightly. The free end of the string is then secured in the slits, 7 or any other desired manner, and the loaf of bread may then be wrapped by the wrapping machine. While I prefer to apply my retaining`means to the bread before the usual waxedpaper wrapper is ap- 7u plied outside of the wrapper.

When applied to the loaf of bread, my retainer will secure the slices in their original positions as against the ordinary shocks of handlingv which occur in loading or unloading bread from bread wagons and otherwise, thus tending to prevent the drying-out of the bread which naturally accompanies displacement of the slices. 4

After the wrapper has been removed from the bread in the home and a part of the loaf withdrawn, my retainer may be tightened up so as to secure the remainder of the loaf in its original position and prevent drying out between meals.

While in the drawings I have shown my retainer extending upwardly a little more than one-third of the height of the loaf, it is obvious that the width of the strips, 2 and 3, may be varied to a large extent without departing from the spirit of my invention and the wider the stri s are made, the more they will protect the bread against dryingout and against displacement. For practlcal purposes, strips from one-third -to onehalf the height of the loaf will be ample.

I claim:

1. A bread loaf package comprising, in 4 combination, a baked loaf of bread cut into 2 release a multi licity of slices, a retainer memrer for hol ing the' sliced loaf substantiajy' in its pre-sliced form, said container member consisting of a pair of substantially U- 5 shaped members surroundingA the ends and sides of the loaf and having their adjacent ends in overlapping relationship intermediate the ends of the loaf, adjustable means extending around said U-shaped members l0 for regulating the pressure of said members against the ends of the contained sliced loaf to prevent drying out of the slices thereof, and an air and moisture-proof wrapper encasing said sliced loaf and retainer member.

A bread loaf package comprising, in combination, a baked loaf of bread cut into a multiplicity of slices, a retainer member for holding the sliced loaf substantially in its pre-sliced form, said member consisting of 'ze a pair of substantially U-shaped'strips embracing the ends and sides of the sliced loaf and having their adjacent ends in overlappin-'f relationship intermediate the ends of the ioa, a cord member extending around said U-shaped strips for holding the said strips firmly against the ends of the contained sliced loar` to prevent drying out of the @licei` thereof, said cord being adjustably arranged to hold the U-shaped strips firmly against the remaining slices after a number` of slices have been removed.

In testimony whereof he aHiXes his signa ture.

OTTO F. ROHWEDDER. 

